Policy & Advocacy

In advocating on behalf of children with exceptionalities, CEC examines policy issues, develops appropriate responses to those issues and influences local, state, provincial and federal legislation. CEC also monitors and makes recommendations for program regulations and funding. In addition, CEC maintains a network among its units for influencing policy.

Standards

As the recognized leader for special education professional standards, CEC develops standards, ethics and practices and guidelines to ensure that individuals with exceptionalities have access to well-prepared, career-oriented special educators.

Membership

Through the vision and dedication of more than 27,000 members, CEC sets the standard for high quality education for children and youth with exceptionalities. And, CEC is known as THE source for information, resources and professional development for special educators.

Professional Development

You’ll find professional development offerings to meet the needs of all special educators – including those of you who are time-crunched, cost-conscious or in need of CEUs in order to meet state obligations. Please join us and invite others to engage the potential!

Special Ed Topics

Special Education Topics includes information about the different exceptionality areas; international special education; hot topics in special education; and professional practice topics such as assessment, evidence-based practices and inclusion.

Understanding Underrerepresentation in Gifted Education

The underrepresentation of students from minority and low-income backgrounds in gifted education programs continues to be one of the most critical, yet seldom talked about, issues confronting education.

For African-American, Hispanic and low-income students the issue is about access and outcomes. Too few of these student groups have access to gifted education programs or advanced courses at the elementary or secondary level (i.e. AP, IB). In fact, Caucasian and Asian students make-up nearly three-fourths of students enrolled in gifted and talented programs, despite the fact that African-American and Hispanic students are 44% of the student population[1].

It should come as no surprise that few, if any, students from minority or low-income backgrounds score at the top levels of state assessments or the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card[2]. Furthermore, without access to a challenging education, high-ability students from low income backgrounds are twice as likely to drop out of school and less likely to attend college[3].

Addressing this issue requires reforms to our educational system which include an emphasis on high abilitylearners, greater professional development and preparation and increased research and dissemination.

Limited Access...

Hispanic and African American students are disproportionately underrepresented in gifted and talented educational opportunities.[4]

10 States provide $0 to fund gifted education; and another 4 states spent less than $1 million[7].

There has been no federal investment to support gifted education since 2011 when the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act was de-funded.

...Leads to Lower Achievement, Opportunities

Every state has an “excellence gap” – the achievement gap at the top levels of academic performance on state and NAEP assessments -- between African American, Hispanic, or students from low-income backgrounds and their Caucasian and more advantaged peers that will take decades to close.[8]

High-achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds, when compared to their more advantaged peers, are:

twice as likely to drop out of school;

more likely to lose ground as they move forward in their schooling; and